Author Archives: fran hawthorne

When David R. Lumley, one of two co-chief operating officers at Spectrum Brands, was promoted to CEO in 2010, the maker of Cutter Insect Repellent, Rayovac batteries and other consumer products eliminated the COO position. Now, the Madison, Wisconsin-based company is considering reviving the job.

The CHRO’s role has become not only strategic but also intensely personal, as CEOs increasingly turn to these executives for advice on everything from corporate culture to conflict in the C-suite and career coaching. The growth of social media has also enhanced the human resources director’s responsibility as an intermediary with the work force. Some CEOs, in fact, see no reason to limit their HR guru to HR.

Editor’s note: To analyze the value of so-called corporate social responsibility, Ethical Chic –from which the following is excerpted--takes an in-depth look at six companies known for CSR qualities—deservedly or not: American Apparel, Apple, Starbucks, Timberland, Tom’s of Maine, and Trader Joe’s.

As innovative CEOs have discovered, executive assistants can do much more to help them perform effectively, beyond simply digitizing what used to be paper tasks. Modern EAs are conducting corporate research, providing advice on community outreach and even subbing for their bosses at meetings. Here are some tips on how to effectively utilize your EA.

Many business experts say that with increasing natural resource costs, regulation and public scrutiny, companies today need to go beyond traditional efficiency, and that requires a highranking manager with a specific mandate—a chief sustainability officer.